Will you not have a cup?

---

I was allowed a lie-in until 9. Syrniki - cheese pancakes - awaited me in the kitchen for breakfast, and after a day here my Russian felt ever so slightly more confident. Tamara Aleksandrovna is very warm and friendly, but all the same it is very difficult to communicate with someone of such a different age and culture, in a language I have only been speaking for two years. On a scrap piece of paper she drew me a map of how to get to Yartek: walk along ulitsa Tolbukhina for two blocks - cross the road and turn right at the traffic lights - walk six minutes down ulitsa Svobody (Sva-bo'd-y) towards the tower - then across Ploschad' Truda (past the statue of the naked netball players) - across the main road - follow the trolleybus track opposite the FK Shinnik football stadium and it's on the right, on the street where the roadworks are just after the pizzeria. 25 minutes in all. That was where we met for another tour - it was optional but everyone came - maybe something to do with seeing Lena again!

We walked around the town in confusing circles for hours. We saw Yarosavl from the top of a tower, and from above the city is conventionally beautiful too. The churches and towers are magnificent. I haven't taken any photos yet because - unsettling as it is - I'm here for four and a half months and I don't want to feel too much like a tourist. We went to a café where myself, Chris and Jamie each had 'pasta po-milanskii' and a glass of lemonade. The televison was showing Spice Girls videos.

I made it back in time for dumplings with more pasta. Tamara Aleksandrovna always makes sure I have enough food and brings me more tea, water and 'baikal' (Russian fizzy pop) at the same time faster than I can drink. I get the feeling she wants to tell me what I want and isn't used to listening to people. It feels as if as a guest in her home she has the responsibility to make sure everything is done for me - I can't even stir my own tea.

Getting to know my classmates has been good so far, but I want to meet more Russians so my speaking can improve. There are so many things that I'm impatient to do, but I will have to wait because my Russian simply isn't good enough yet.

---

Photos

Church of Il'ya Prorurka
One of Yaroslavl's many Orthodox Churches. It is on the banks of the River Volga, 100 metres from ulitsa Kirova.